Practical Digital Libraries : Books, Bytes, and Bucks

Rating:
Summary: It informative- but way to technical!
Review: I think the author, Michael Lesk, wrote for the wrong audience. Whilst it is very informative for an aspiring librarian, it so full with technical terms that after a while one feels completely lost in technical jargon. If this book had been written for a computer expert, then the content would have hit the intended audience. As it is , one feels bewildered and confused.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview - but technical
Review: This book is one of the most thorough discussions on the ins and outs of digital libraries I've ever seen. Lesk knows his stuff, both on the library - classification - document side and on the computer - technology side. Unfortunately, the reader also needs to be conversant with both sides, especially the technical. I feel the book is sometimes too heavily tilted toward the engineering/technology side. Kudos to Lesk, however, for his discussions of the economics of information, intellectual property, and international activities.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview - but technical
Review: This book is one of the most thorough discussions on the ins and outs of digital libraries I've ever seen. Lesk knows his stuff, both on the library - classification - document side and on the computer - technology side. Unfortunately, the reader also needs to be conversant with both sides, especially the technical. I feel the book is sometimes too heavily tilted toward the engineering/technology side. Kudos to Lesk, however, for his discussions of the economics of information, intellectual property, and international activities.

Rating:
Summary: A really good book, but quite technical
Review: This is a very informative, well-balanced book on digital libraries. Lesk considers both the pros and cons of electronic versus print-only libraries, and provides detailed descriptions of how to digitize and distribute a variety of content - text, images, audio, video, etc. He also gives historical and philosophical background on issues concerning digital libraries. The only problem I had was that some parts were too technical for me to understand. This may be because I'm just starting out in the field, and the book may be more accessible to those with more experience. However, I think the addition of a glossary to the book would help quite a bit. Overall, I found the book educational and enjoyable, and I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: A really good book, but quite technical
Review: This is a very informative, well-balanced book on digital libraries. Lesk considers both the pros and cons of electronic versus print-only libraries, and provides detailed descriptions of how to digitize and distribute a variety of content - text, images, audio, video, etc. He also gives historical and philosophical background on issues concerning digital libraries. The only problem I had was that some parts were too technical for me to understand. This may be because I'm just starting out in the field, and the book may be more accessible to those with more experience. However, I think the addition of a glossary to the book would help quite a bit. Overall, I found the book educational and enjoyable, and I recommend it highly.